Wednesday, 25 March 2009

The first edition of the little book of smart by Paul Jackson is available at half-price from the Veloce website. Now at the giveaway price of just £3.99! That is a smart price!Click here to find out more.

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

Forthcoming!The Café Racer Phenomenon by Alastair Walker.The Café Racer is one of the most enduring styles of motorcycle ever created, capturing the rebellious spirit of the 50s. This is a look back at the glory days of the Café Racer, from Friday night dices on the North Circular, through the street specials craze of the Seventies, to the modern day revival.Click here for more info.

Friday, 20 March 2009

Maximum Mini, a brand new book by Amsterdam-based motoring journalist Jeroen Booij is the first to focus solely on cars derived from the original classic Mini. Small GTs, sports cars, roadsters, racers and fun cars: Mini derivatives that changed the specialist motoring market completely in the early sixties, while newer designs kept it busy for nearly four more decades.

Published by Veloce at £24.95 in large square format, and containing 540 mainly colour pictures, the majority of which were specially shot for this project, this unique book is the result of over five years of Jeroen's own research and world travels to meet owners and picture their cars.

Maximum Mini features an extensive collection of almost 60 lovingly described and photographed cars. From the well known Unipower GT and Mini Marcos that raced at Le Mans, to the very obscure but equally exciting Coldwell GT and Sarcon Scarab. Some represent genius, some are crazy, but all are out of the ordinary, colourful and fascinating. Many of the people originally involved with designing and building them were interviewed - including famous F1 designer Gordon Murray - and even some cars thought to be long gone were discovered during Jeroen's researches.

Just like the enthusiasm needed to build the cars it describes, this book has been written with a true passion. After a career as a road test editor for a Dutch motoring magazine, Jeroen decided to become a freelance motoring journalist. He prefers describing the weird and wonderful of the automotive industry, specializing in classic, specialist, or simply unusual cars, which has often led to full features on vehicles that are hardly taken seriously by the regular press. With a passion for Minis, it was a logical step for Joroen to write a book about the unusual cars that derived from it.

Jeroen Booij commented: "The old Mini has been of great influence in the cottage industry as it offered perfect opportunities for derivatives. Once I'd started researching them I came across more and more cars and there was just no way back anymore. Every car had its own cool story which I became insatiable for."

The 128-page book was published this month and is available now from bookshops or from www.veloce.co.uk.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Mini and what better way to celebrate it than with the book that looks at the extreme forms of the classic little car!

Thursday, 19 March 2009

A limited edition, 1:43 scale model of a unique 1965, split-screen Volkswagen Transporter van with special The Who Magic Bus branding will be available to order online or from the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles network of dedicated Van Centres from later this week.

The Who Magic Bus Volkswagen Transporter van was created for a fundraising competition last year organised by UK charity Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) and legendary British rock band, The Who.

Only 1,000 of the 1:43 scale die-cast models of this vehicle are being produced, of which 100 will be available in the UK, at a retail price of £40. A donation of €2 from each model sold will go to TCT for children and young people suffering from cancer.

The Who Magic Bus is one of a range of models and toys available from Volkswagen’s Retro Collection of merchandise. Other items include scale models of the current Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles range such as the Crafter or Caddy vans, the California campervan (from £13.70), key rings (from £3.90), 1GB USB campervan memory sticks (£15) and a cuddly campervan soft toy (£15). The range will expand again later this year with the addition of a classic T1 Samba-Bus.
Source:Volkswagen/Newspress

A new diecast toy cars book is coming very soon from Veloce!

Diecast Toy Cars of the 1950s & 1960s by Andrew Ralston.
Collecting vintage diecast toy cars has become an increasingly popular hobby over the last 25 years, and this book provides a comprehensive overview of the companies that made these toys during the 1950s and 1960s.
As well as examining the major names such as Dinky Toys, Corgi Toys and Matchbox (Great Britain), Solido (France), Tekno (Denmark) and Tootsietoy (USA), this book is unique in its coverage of many smaller and more obscure brands, not only from Europe or the USA but from countries as far afield as Japan, Israel and Argentina.
The book provides fascinating insights into the history of individual companies, accompanied by 300 photographs of rare examples, most of them with their original boxes. A further unique feature is the inclusion of a large selection of colourful and evocative illustrations from catalogues and period trade advertisements.
For the newcomer to the hobby, this volume will provide an ideal introduction to the history of the manufacturers active in this field, while experienced collectors will make many new discoveries.
Click here for more info.

Wednesday, 18 March 2009

From 2010, Formula 1 will adopt a new scoring system that awards the championship to the driver with the most wins, rather than the most points. The current points system will still operate to decide a tie if two drivers finish a season with the same amount of wins.A further change will see the introduction of an optional budget cap of £30m, which will reduce some teams' spending by 90% – an attempt to make F1 more accessible to newcomers. Teams can choose to spend more than the prescribed £30m, but must then operate under more restrictive technical rules – and theoretically risk having a slower car.Smaller teams like Minardi, which bravely tried to take on the giants in the past, may at last be able to compete more evenly.

Available Now!Forza Minardi! by Simon Vigar.After 20 years of glorious 'failure', the best-loved team in Formula One is consigned to the history books, and it deserves one of its own. Minardi had a successful time in Formula Two until the tiny Italian outfit was ready to hit the big time in 1985. It somehow survived in F1's shark-infested waters as bigger teams (Lotus, Arrows, Tyrrell) were dragged under. They have a truly international fan-base and are the 'second team' of most F1 devotees. Minardi is held in such affection as everyone loves the plucky underdog – Minardi's annual budget would have lasted one month at the other Italian team up the road. Yet, from its plant in Faenza near Bologna, Minardi has produced cars that qualify, sometimes score points and often lead the way in their technology. Gian Carlo Minardi also developed a reputation as a fabulous talent-spotter – Fisichella, Trulli, Webber and the youngest ever World Champion Alonso all started their F1 careers with Minardi. For the last five years, Minardi was owned by controversial Australian tycoon Paul Stoddart. Cast as David against the Goliath of F1's governing body, Stoddart constantly hit the headlines as he tried to get a more equal share of the sport's billions. Ultimately, he failed and Red Bull has now bought the team. Despite a petition of 15,000 names the Minardi name has vanished from the F1 grid and true motorheads miss it. This is the one and only inside account, with exclusive, comprehensive interviews with bosses, drivers and engineers. 140 unique photos complete this revolutionary tale.

Another little team that made it big in Formula 1 is coming soon from Veloce.

ForthcomingThe Toleman Story – Last Romantics in Formula 1 by Christopher Hilton.Small, unfashionable, short of money – and the last of its kind to become a force in Grand Prix racing. The story of Toleman is not only fascinating and improbable, it has never been told before. Now it is, and through the eyes of the people who lived it. This was the team that took Ayrton Senna into Formula 1, to which he responded by creating a masterpiece of movement at Monaco. It is still talked about. This was the team that launched Derek Warwick, one of the most popular and accomplished men in British motor sport. This was the team that brought Rory Byrne, Ferrari’s design genius, to sudden prominence. This was the team that enabled Pat Symonds, Renault’s race tactician, to construct his career. Click here for more info.

Friday, 13 March 2009

Barbie, the most famous fashion doll in the world, celebrated her 50th birthday on Monday (9 March) with a unique pink Fiat 500.

The special, one-off show car was designed and built in a partnership between Fiat's Style Centre (Centro Stile) and toy maker Mattel, to mark five decades of the internationally-known icon.

The bright pink Fiat 500 transported a real-life ‘Barbie' model through the streets of fashionable Milan, driven by an equally life-like ‘Ken'. She arrived at Milan's La Rinascente department store, while German pop band Nena played live songs from the last 50 years.

The special city car's gleaming paintwork resembles nail varnish, while its seating is upholstered in soft, silver laminated Alcantara fabrics. The floor mats have been enhanced with natural silk yarn and there are lip glosses in brilliant colours stored in the glove compartment, along with an LED-lit vanity mirror.

Bright crystals sparkle on interior bezels, hubcaps, window mouldings and the roof-mounted aerial, and there is even an outline of Barbie's famed silhouette on the B-pillars.

"Barbie is a looker, smart enough to listen to everyone, a universal ambassador opting for a car that never divides, but frees everyone from having to declare their social status," said Roberto Giolito, Fiat Style Director and creator of the Fiat 500.Source:headlineauto/fiat

New and coming soon from Veloce!

New! Fiat 500 & 600 – The Essential Buyer's Guide by Malcolm Bobbitt.The essential guide to purchasing a baby Fiat, which allows both the novice and accustomed Fiat enthusiast to appraise a potential purchase with professional confidence, identifying what to look for in order to acquire the right car at the right price. With Malcolm Bobbitt’s concise and easy-to-follow guide, packed with sound advice and backed up by specially selected illustrations, the route through checking a car’s provenance is made so much easier. This is YOUR passport to joining the Fiat community and a must for any potential small Fiat owner. Click here for more info.

Coming soon!Fast Ladies - female racing drivers 1888 to 1970 by Jean-François Bouzanquet.It took a great deal of determination on the part of women to sweep aside male resistance from the inner circles of the motoring world. A veritable saga with a wealth of illustrations spanning almost a century of motor racing. Over forty unique portraits of daring, brave women who took part in speed records events, rallies and Grand Prix races. Click here for more info.

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

Microcars at large!By Adam Quellin.Charts the history and development of the small economy cars which emerged after the Second World War. Finances and raw materials were in short supply and these microcars, or 'bubble cars' as they became affectionately known, provided transport for thousands of impoverished motorists during that lean period in the middle of the twentieth century. These tint economy cars now have a significant place in motoring history. This book follows the microcar’s progress right up to the present day, with original color photographs. Click here for more info.

The A-Z of Popular Scooters & Microcars.By Mike Dan.An A to Z color reference book on classic motor scooters and microcars primarily from the 1950s to the 1970s. A hugely entrtaining "I was there" account of of the classic scooter and microcar era, this book is highly illustrated and also contains an essential A-Z reference to these fascinating machines.Click here for more info.

The most famous racing drivers drove it, and, for a long time, it was a guaranteed winner for Porsche: Now, finally, the first comprehensive work about the 908 has been published in the English language. The authors portray the fascinating history of the Porsche 908 racing car, and clearly explain its complex technology. Racing history is fully documented, and detailed statistics enable the reader to quickly look up all of the racing data. In addition, there are little-known anecdotes and contemporary reports from eye-witnesses and drivers. A wealth of contemporary, previously unreleased images evoke the fascinating atmosphere and excitement of the great seventies racing era.
Excerpt from the book:
In the mid-1960s, McQueen got the idea to make a racing movie. The
formula was a simple one: the film would be about a race car driver and
a single race. He would be the driver, the race would be the legendary 24
Hours of Le Mans. Both were to be genuine; McQueen would actually
enter the Le Mans race.
McQueen spared no effort in preparing himself for the event. In
late 1969, he bought a retired 908 works racer, which had been rebuilt in
Zuffenhausen as a Flounder. After three local sports car races in California,
the car was entered in the 12 Hours of Sebring. McQueen’s co-driver was
Peter Revson (February 27, 1939-March 22, 1974), one of America’s top
drivers. In 1971, Revson would become Can-Am Champion; in 1972 and
1973, he was a Formula 1 McLaren works driver, winning two Grands
Prix. In 1974, Revson was killed while testing a Formula 1 Shadow.
Just before Sebring, McQueen was injured in a motocross accident,
and had to start the race with his left foot in a cast. Nevertheless, both he
and Revson were extraordinarily fast. After the works 917s and Ferrari’s
512S entries experienced numerous technical problems and accidents, in
the last hour of the race it looked like McQueen and Revson had a chance
for an outright win. The very idea that a racing actor could humiliate the
world’s elite drivers of sports and prototype cars was too much to bear for
Mario Andretti in the last surviving works Ferrari. The Italian-American
pulled out all the stops, and succeeded in catching the McQueen/Revson
Porsche in the final minutes of the race, relegating them to second place.
Later, Andretti spoke of this win as the one that brought him the greatest
satisfaction, even though McQueen was more celebrated for his second
place finish than Andretti was as winner!
Three months later the actor did not appear at Le Mans after all; the
film company vetoed his entry. The star of the film could only experience
the real race as a spectator. His 908/02, converted to a camera car, was
driven by Herbert Linge and Jonathan Williams. According to the script,
Steve McQueen, aka ‘Michael Delaney,’ drove a Gulf blue Porsche 917
short-tail to second place. But that’s another story ...

Monday, 9 March 2009

Classic Bike magazine featured a whopping five of our motorcycle books in its rundown of the books of 2008. As Classic Bike said, it's time to "put some more shelves up and strengthen the coffee table."

Friday, 6 March 2009

Written by experts with real hands-on experience, these heavily illustrated and clearly written books are designed to really help with practical projects whether it's interpreting build/option codes, tracing an electrical fault, building a car or tuning a car for higher performance. Veloce's best-selling SpeedPro™ books deal with subjects like carburettors, camshafts, ignition systems, cylinder heads and suspension systems dispel common fallacies and give you the understanding necessary to make the right choices for YOUR vehicle.Veloce also offers a range of workshop manuals to guide you through fault diagnosis, repairs and routine maintenance. You'll also find great restoration manuals giving clear step-by-step guidance on all aspects of vehicle restoration.

Thursday, 5 March 2009

The Mini, an icon of British motoring icon turns 50 this year, and throughout 2009 tens of thousands of Mini fanatics will be celebrating in style.

From massive events attracting enthusiasts from all over the world, to gatherings of the like-minded at the local pub, or a few friends giving it a quick blast along their favourite stretch of twisty road, ‘Mini 50’ parties will find their way into every corner of the UK.

Future’s new Mini Magazine will be celebrating throughout the year, and can provide expert opinion, quotes from key figures within the scene, interviews, more information and images on Mini 50 celebrations, Mini clubs and Mini enthusiasts relevant to your readership and we are happy to offer any assistance we can to help you cover Mini 50 celebrations.• Released for sale in August 1959, the Mini was designed by Sir Alec Issigonis as a cheap, economical car for ordinary people. When champion Formula One constructor, John Cooper, gave the engine a few race-inspired tweaks, the Mini jumped effortlessly from the high street to the racetrack.

• In the following years it became class-bending style icon of the swinging sixties, driven by movie stars, pop stars and royalty, as well as ordinary people throughout Britain and beyond.

• By the end of the decade it was a movie star itself, with a starring role (alongside Michael Caine) in one of the most unforgettable car chases of all time in ‘The Italian Job’. The classic Mini stayed in production for more than 40 years, the last cars rolling off the production line in 2000.

• Key events in 2009 include the London to Brighton Mini Run and the International Mini Meet, better known as the IMM in Mini circles. This year it is being organised by the Birmingham Mini Owners Club, and held at a site opposite the Longbridge factory where most classic Minis were built.Source:Motoring4media/Future

This March is a good month for Mini fanatics, whether a fan of the classic Mini, or some of the bizarre Mini derivatives!

This book focuses solely on the cars derived from the classic Mini. Small GTs, sports cars, roadsters and fun cars: Mini derivatives that changed the specialist motoring market completely in the early sixties, and new designs kept it busy for nearly four decades. From the well known Mini Marcos and Unipower GT that raced at Le Mans, to the very obscure but as exciting Coldwell GT or Sarcon Scarab, almost 60 cars are thoroughly researched, described and photographed in this book.

This compact and practical book offers a step-by-step guide to help any prospective buyer avoid expensive mistakes and end up with the best Mini possible for their money. Using over 100 clear colour photographs and easy to follow, jargon-free text, the car’s notorious rot spots, common bodges and mechanical defects are examined in detail, along with auction advice, relative values and the realities of living with this 20th century icon. A few pounds spent on this book could save you thousands!

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

The plaudits have been flooding in for Joe Sackey, author of new Veloce book The Lamborghini Miura Bible. This definitive volume is the culmination of 20 years of diligent research, and Joe is deservedly now credited as being the world's leading authority on the vehicle. He makes the case that the Miura is nothing short of "The most beautiful sports car of the postwar era." Having himself himself owned, maintained and restored five Miuras, he knows what he's talking about.
"The Miura is not a car without its flaws," Sackey notes. "But what a benchmark postwar classic! A special car, it is to be enjoyed and indeed put on a pedestal. In terms of reliability and utility, it may not be the ultimate example of a sports car, but for sheer charisma and emotion the Miura is hard to beat."

Praise for The Lamborghini Miura Bible:

"It's as close as you can get to a trip to the Lamborghini Museum without leaving your favorite fireside chair. Of course, Sackey's first-hand experience gives him an edge over the usual armchair enthusiast." - www.luxist.com

"Congratulations on your great Miura book! This is top information for Lamborghini petrol heads, every word is worthy for any car enthusiast and a must for owners! I bought 4 copies for myself and friends and it gives me enormous pleasure to read it." - Marc Hoffmann

"I got my copy of your fantastic Miura Bible from Amazon today and am pouring over it with GREAT interest. Very nice work!" - Lou Herrin

"Has to be the best book on the Miura!" - John Blackburn

"I just received my copy of the Miura Bible. What an amazing job you did! Truly awesome. Please do the same for the LP400! Congratulations!" - Ed

"I wanted to tell you what a wonderful book that you have written. I am not kissing up when I tell you that it is by far one of the best automotive books I have ever seen. It came in the mail last week and I have slowly been going through it. I am asking you to please do a book on the Countach next! Clearly this is a must do. I will be the first to buy one. Great job!" - Joe N. Frazer IV

"It'll be hard to top your book, Joe. I just got my copy today. I thought I knew a fair amount about these cars, but I was overwhelmed by the amount of additional information you included. Congratulations!" - Tom

The ONLY book on the Lamborghini Miura to be published in the past twenty six years – and enthusiasts agree it is long overdue. Written by a world-renowned authority on the subject, featuring, among other things, a never-before-published factory chassis production register, technical illustrations, studio-supplied images and exclusive interviews with the designers of the car: this is essential reading for any Lamborghini fan.

Monday, 2 March 2009

Do you want to improve your MGB, MGC or MGB V8? Well now you can get all the know-how for a mere £9.50* +p+p!

How To Improve MGB, MGC & MGB V8 (Speedpro)By Roger Williams.Covers all aspects of improving these cars for today's road conditions and for higher performance generally. How to improve power, braking, appearance and comfort. Checked and approved by the MG Owners Club.